Attachment for automatic loading-machines.



No. 737,269. PATENTEDAUG} 25,1903.

T.- MOL- PARK. ATTACHMENT FOB. AUTOMATIC LOADING MACHINES. APPLIGATIOKFILED KAY 14, 1903.

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UNITED" STATES Patented August:25,:i 903.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MOLEAN PARK, OF DARRINGTON, WASHINGTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,269, dated August25, 1903.

Application filed May 14, 1903 Serial No. 157,123; (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS MOLEAN'PARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Darrington, county of Snohomish, State of Washington, haveinvented an Improvement in Attachments for Automatic Loading-Machines;

and I hereby declare the following to be a full, 7

device to which my improvement is applied. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan of the conveyer-frame, showing application of theimprovement. Fig. 3 is a detail of same. Fig; 4 is a side elevation of afragment of the frame with shovel and earns. r t

A represents a suitably-supported conveyerframe having thepower-drivensprockets 2 at each end, with their axes perpendicular tothe plane of the frame, around which passes a chain conveyer 2*,provided with the carrier blades or shovels 3, cooperating with the lateral trough-sections 4 to transport a load from one end of the frame tothe other. r

Fig. 1 shows a usual method of mounting the frame so that itmay have atilting movement about a horizontal pivot-shaft on a movable support ortruck, as 5, and means ll'ldlr cated at 6 for operating the conveyor andfor propelling the truck 5. The driving connections of the motor Garenot shown, as they form no part of the present invention. The framesides forming the inner walls of troughs 4 are slotted lengthwise, as at7, to accommodate the pivoted ends of the blades or arms. The latter, asillustrated, each comprise a web or bracket'portion having abackwardly-extending bifurcated roller-bearing heel 8 straddlin g slot7. The frame sides, which are preferably of channel-iron, with theirfiat surfaces outward, are continuous and curved at the ends of theframe concentrically with the sprockets, sothat the blades are supportedat all points in their travel ,7 In operation the blades are adaptedsuctrough-sections 4. to the opposite end of the frame,where it isdischarged,the empty blades returning through the other trough-section.

Inorder to prevent the material binding between a blade and the outerwall 10 of the conveyer-trough at the point where the blade passesaround. .the end of the frame and scoops up its load, it was foundnecessary to devise some means to throw the point'of the blade fartherforward, so that its point and pivot would stand in a line more nearlyat right angles to wall 10 at the point where the latter firstcooperates with the blade. This was partially achieved by curving theblades. Still, however, it did not fully overcome the diffiof theeccentric surfaces or'segmental cams 9, secured to the loading end ofthe frame, one

on either side of slot 7 and disposed in the path of theblade-supporting rollers 12. The

result is that the points of the blades are thrown forward in advance ofwhat they would be by their natural movement about the sprockets,and asthey move into the conveyortrough between wall '10 and its correspondingframe side they are nearly at right angles to the axis of the machine.The load is therefore pushed directly forward with little or no tendencyto deflection outward and consequent binding against wall 10. The camsrelease the blades as the latter become well started into the channelwith their loads, the length of the cams depending to some extent on thecurvature of the blades. By means of these cams it is possible to usestraight blades; but in their absence it would be practically impossibleto operate with straight blades, particularly where soft material is tobe handled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- Y 1. In a loading apparatus, the combination of asuitable support, anendlessconveyer having radially-projecting pivotedcarrierblades, and stationary means interposed in the IOO havingradiallyprojecting pivoted carrier of a conveyer-frame, a lateralconveyer-- trough, an endless conveyer having radiallydisposed pivotedblades projecting into and cooperating with said trough to convey a loadfrom one end of the frame to the other, and stationary means interposedin the path of said blades adjacent to the receiving end of said troughto advance the points of the blades.

4. In a loading apparatus, the combination of a oonveyer-frame, alateral trough, an endless conveyer having outwardlyprojecting bladesextending into and cooperating with said trough and adapted to take up aload at one end of the frame and to discharge it at the other, and fixedcams interposed in the path of said blades adjacent to the point ofloading for the purpose described.

5. In a loading apparatus, the combination with a frame, of lateraltroughs, an endless chain traveling about sprockets carried by and Whoseaxes are substantially perpendicular to said frame, blades pivotallyconnected with the chain and projecting through slots in the frame-wallsinto the troughs, a rearwardly-extending projection on each bladenormally supporting the blades at approximately right angles to theplanes of the chain, and stationary means disposed in the path of saidprojections for augmenting the forward tilt of the blades.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS MCLEAN PARK. \Vitnesses:

GEO. 0. BALL, E. L. DAWSON.

